1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to head-and-tail lamps, as used on on-road and off-road vehicles, and, more particularly, to a lamp that can be readily reconfigured to facilitate mounting on a variety of different vehicle styles. The invention also relates to a lamp with snap-fit casing parts wherein all elements of the lamp can be maintained captive in operative relationship by the snap-fit casing parts.
2. Background Art
Headlamps for moving vehicles generally consist of a casing, which contains an illumination source, and a bracket for attaching the casing to a vehicle. While conventional brackets permit angular adjustment of the casing on a vehicle to control the direction of light focus, these brackets are generally attached at a fixed, predetermined location on the casing. The result of this is that numerous different types of headlamps must be manufactured and inventoried to accommodate different on-road and off-road vehicles. For example, the headlamp mounting area on one vehicle may dictate that the bracket be situated, rather than centrally of the casing, to one side of the casing. If the headlamps are sold in pairs, those on the lefthand side of the vehicle must be manufactured differently than those on the righthand side of the vehicle. Thus, not only must manufacturers and distributors of such headlamps provide casings for different vehicles, but for each different vehicle there may be the need for two different casing configurations to accommodate the opposite vehicle sides.
Another problem with conventional headlamps is that they normally consist of numerous parts, which require intricate assembly. For example, one such conventional headlamp construction has an illumination source that is held in place on a reflector by wire clips. Fasteners are used to electrically connect wires from a power supply to the illumination source. Separate casing parts are then held together while screws/bolts are put in place to maintain the parts in operative relationship.
In the event that one desires to change the illumination source, the screws/bolts must be removed, the clips and connectors must be disconnected, and all parts must be kept available for reassembly. The complicated nature of such headlamps and the inconvenience of manufacturing and servicing the same is apparent.
Another problem with conventional headlamps is that they are heat sensitive. In operation, the illumination source produces considerable heat. The headlamp cases, which may be plastic, are susceptible to expansion, with the result often being that the various parts loosen or become misaligned.